Crop thinning elements for axial flow combine

Abstract

An axial flow harvesting machine having at least one rotor operable within a casing to thresh and separate grain from straw material is disclosed wherein the rotor has an infeed portion, an adjacent threshing section, and a rearward separating section. The rasp bars on the threshing section immediately adjacent to the infeed portion are replaced by crop thinning elements cooperable with the casing to thin the straw material before being subjected to the threshing action of the remaining rasp bars in the threshing section.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. In an axial flow harvesting machine having at least one rotor rotatably operable within a casing to thresh and separate grain from straw material, said at least one rotor including an infeed portion operable to feed crop material to the main body of said at least one rotor, a threshing section adjacent the infeed portion and having a plurality of removable rasp bars mounted on said main body to engage said straw material, and a separating section adjacent said threshing section to effect a removal of grain from said straw material, the improvement comprising: the rasp bars of the threshing section immediately adjacent to the infeed portion are replaceable by crop thinning elements cooperable with said casing.   
     
     
       2. The harvesting machine of claim 1 wherein the rasp bars are mounted on mounting means affixed to said main body, the crop thinning elements having a base plate on which at least one agitator blade is mounted, said crop thinning elements being mounted on corresponding said mounting means adapted for detachable connection of said rasp bars in lieu of said crop thinning elements. 
     
     
       3. The harvesting machine of claim 2 wherein said mounting means immediately adjacent to said infeed portion having a mounting surface inclined to orient an attached crop thinning element in a direction which both trails with respect to the direction of rotation of said at least one rotor and extends toward said seperating section. 
     
     
       4. The harvesting machine of claim 3 wherein each said crop thinning element is threaded into the corresponding said mounting means to facilitate the detachment thereof from said at least one rotor.